


Picking up the Pieces

by Paintedrocket



Category: Cookie Run (Video Game)
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Detectives, Other, Roguefort uses they/them pronouns, Tags May Change, [Roguefort voice] Hot single dilfs? In MY area?, additional cookies may show up, first Almondfort fic let's goooooo, kinda human au?, probably innacurate portrayal of detective work but idgaf, single dad Almond Cookie, some original characters - Freeform, they basically have human characteristics but are called cookies and use cookie terms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29933547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paintedrocket/pseuds/Paintedrocket
Summary: The two most important things in Almond Cookie's life are his job and his daughter.  He's always been firm about keeping work and family separate, but Walnut's desire to become an ace detective like him has made that increasingly difficult.  And what's more, the elusive thief he's trying to catch has taken quite an interest in him as of late...
Relationships: Roguefort Cookie/Almond Cookie (Cookie Run)
Comments: 76
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Holy shit I'm actually doing a multichapter fic? AND the first fic not only with this ship but with Almond Cookie in general? It's an honor.
> 
> Anyway, individual chapter warnings will be posted in these beginning notes so without further ado
> 
> Chapter 1 warnings:
> 
> . Brief mention of suspected kidnapping

"Walnut! What on earthbread are you doing in here!?"

Almond looked around at the mess that had been made of his office. Papers were strewn all over, covering every available surface. His notepad had been scribbled with barely-decipherable notes in sloppy handwriting. All sorts of photos and newspaper clippings had been pinned to his cork board, connected every which way with red string.

And in the midst of it all was his daughter, frozen like a deer in headlights and clutching a mug (coffee?) in her hands.

"Uh… hi dad?"

Almond sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sweetheart, we've talked about this. You have to stay with your babysitter while I'm working! Where is he?"

As if on cue, he heard someone run up the stairs, breathing like he'd ran a marathon.

"She locked me in a supply closet!" Hero shouted, pointing at Walnut. She stuck her tongue out at him in defiance.

"You can go wait in the lobby, Hero. I'll take care of this." Almond took a 20 dollar bill from his wallet, handing it to Hero. "Here, a little extra for your troubles."

Once he was alone with Walnut again, he took the mug from her and set it on one of the few free spaces left on his desk. He shook his head sadly.

"Walnut, what are we gonna do with you?"

Walnut pointed to the cork board. "I think I'm finally making a breakthrough in the case, I-"

" _ You _ aren't making a breakthrough in the case. This isn't your case, it's mine. And thanks to this mess, I may have lost some of my notes!" Almond snapped. As he was picking up the scattered papers, he took a deep breath and tried to keep his cool. "Look, I get it. You like to play detective so you can be like me. But your play can't get in the way of my job."

"It's not playing, dad, I  _ am _ a real detective!" Walnut whined, slumping into a chair.

Almond chuckled. "Trust me, kiddo. When you grow up, you'll  _ wish _ you were just playing pretend. I've seen things that would give you nightmares for weeks."

"I know, I've seen all the movies." Walnut smiled proudly.

"Oh, even they downplay a lot of it. Anything you see in those movies? I guarantee I've seen worse."

Walnut shuddered, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Oh… I just wanted to help you catch Phantom Bleu, is all..."

Almond stopped, going to her and hugging her close. "You don't have to worry about that, okay? I should be the one worried about you, not the other way around. My job may look fun, but it's also very dangerous. And if something happened to you… I don't think I'd ever be able to forgive myself. Do you understand?"

"... Okay, Dad." She sounded disappointed, but understanding.

"Atta girl." Almond kissed the top of her head and lifted her out of the chair. "Go down and stay with Hero in the lobby while I finish up here, okay?"

Walnut left, leaving Almond alone with a messy office and a head swimming with thoughts. Luckily, it seemed Walnut had left all his important notes intact, and the few things that had been lost in the mess weren't vital to the case. Now there was just the task of getting everything cleaned up.

"Dad?"

He perked up, turning to the door. "Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Hero's gone."

Almond nearly dropped the stack of folders he was holding.

"What do you mean he's gone? Are you sure he isn't just using the bathroom or something?"

Walnut shook her head. "No, he's just gone. The receptionist said she saw him leave a few minutes ago. He left a note with her, but she wouldn't give it to me."

Almond put down the folders and grabbed his coat and briefcase. Tidying up would have to wait until tomorrow.

"Could have just texted me like any other kid these days…" He muttered.

He went down to the lobby and, sure enough, the receptionist handed him an envelope. An envelope sealed with a blob of turquoise wax.

It could only mean one thing.

"Walnut, go sit over by the door." He instructed, not looking up from the envelope and hoping she hadn't seen it.

"Why?"

"Just go."

He broke the seal and pulled out the letter, fully expecting the worst. Phantom Bleu wasn't above pulling dirty tricks, but kidnapping someone barely out of high school? That was low, even for them.

_ Your daughter is smarter than you give her credit for. You may have a prodigy on your hands. She's managed to find some of the pieces, but she's not even close to solving the puzzle. She might even give you a run for your money, detective. Speaking of money, I appreciate the twenty dollars. Most cookies don't tend to willingly give me anything valuable. Rest assured, the boy is unharmed and safe at his dorm. You have my word, but feel free to ask him if you have any doubts. _

_ Warm regards, _

_ Phantom Bleu _

Almond felt his blood run cold as he placed the note back in the envelope. As quickly as he could, he slipped it into his briefcase, wishing the receptionist a good night before sending a quick text to Hero. Much to his relief, he'd received one back within minutes, confirming that Hero was indeed safe. Though he was terribly confused, as he didn't remember Almond asking him to babysit Walnut that night.

Still contemplating this strange incident, Almond went to meet Walnut.

"Is Hero okay?" She asked, hopping up from her seat.

Almond nodded and ruffled her hair. "He's fine, there was just something at home he had to take care of at the last minute. C'mon, you must be starving. Let's go get something to eat."

"Let's get pizza!" Walnut ran ahead of him, right out the door. While it gave Almond a brief bit of amusement, his mind kept drifting back to the letter.

"Just what are you up to this time, Phantom Bleu…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit I had to rewrite this chapter so many times. It's also where my blatant disregard of what information private investigators have access to starts to show through. Rest assured I'm well aware of the difference between police detectives and private detectives, and am choosing to ignore that difference in favor of a more exciting story, lmao
> 
> Chapter 2 Warnings: N/A

Almond grabbed the morning paper from Walnut. "I'll take that."

"I was just looking at the comics!" She insisted.

"Uh huh, sure. It couldn't possibly be about this." He pointed to the front page, advertising a three day long gem show at the local museum. "Great minds think alike, huh?"

"You really think Phantom Bleu will show up?"

Almond took a sip of his coffee as he read the page. "I wouldn't put it past them. But that's for me to find out. I don't want a repeat of last time."

"But Dad, I could help you!" Walnut exclaimed, her eagerness getting the best of her again, "We could take them down together! It'd be legendary!"

"Walnut, for the last time, the answer is no! I don't wanna hear another word about this. Now finish your breakfast, the school bus should be here soon." Almond told her sternly.

Walnut pouted, shoving a spoonful of cereal into her mouth. "I'm not a little kid."

"Then stop acting like one."

Later that day, Almond made his way to the museum. As expected, it was packed wall to wall with cookies, whether they were displaying their own treasures or fawning over others. On one hand, it would be hard to pick someone out of such a crowd, especially someone as elusive as Phantom Bleu. However, it did give Almond a better chance of blending in and not drawing too much attention.

He had to weigh his options carefully. Phantom Bleu likely wouldn't go for the bigger, more valuable stuff right away. They weren't stupid enough to try that. If Almond had to guess, they'd likely try to grab some of the smaller things and work their way up. He lingered by a table, watching the crowd for anything of interest.

"Sir, can I help you with something?" A voice piped up behind him.

He turned around to see the cookie behind the table, a young man wearing a turban. He drummed his fingers on one of the glass cases, looking over Almond with an air of disgust.

"Oh, I'm just looking."

"I can tell." the man said, his tone indicating that he wasn't impressed.

Almond scratched the back of his head nervously, suddenly aware of how out of place he must have looked compared to the more affluent cookies he was surrounded by. "Say, you haven't seen any suspicious characters around here, have you?"

"No. Why, should I have been looking for someone?" The man's eyes darted around in a panic, clutching one of the glass cases like he was trying to protect his valuables.

"No no, relax. I'm a detective." He showed his badge quickly, "The agency's heard rumors that Phantom Bleu might be in the area, and we wanted to keep an eye out just in case. You're sure you didn't see anything strange?"

"Uh… I saw a cookie with a cat in their purse, and they were feeding it a whole hot dog. Is that anything?"

Almond was baffled. "Erm, okay that's definitely strange, but not exactly what I'm looking for. Have you seen anyone loitering around exits, carrying an unusually large bag, anything like that?"

"Wait a second, how do I know  _ you're _ not Phantom Bleu, and you're trying to distract me so you can steal my jewels!?" The man asked, jabbing his finger in accusation.

Almond looked at him blankly. "If I were Phantom Bleu, why would I willingly introduce myself and draw more attention?"

The man paused, stroking his chin. "Hmm, that's a very good point."

Almond could sense that talking to this guy wasn't going anywhere substantial. "Alright, I'm going to scope out the rest of the floor. Let me know if you see anything suspicious. Thank you for your time."

The rest of the investigation proved just as fruitless. Shadowing a few cookies that appeared shady didn't give him any leads, nor did asking other table owners or museum staff. There wasn't a hint of useful evidence. Was Phantom Bleu really not on the premises?

Almond checked his watch. Two thirty. Walnut would probably be home from school soon. He'd have to call it quits for now.

After calling in a fellow detective to pick up where he left off, he drove home, still puzzled. Either Phantom Bleu was crazy to not even attempt to infiltrate the event, or they were wise enough to not try anything in broad daylight. This was going to require further research.

Almond pulled up to the apartment building at the same time as the school bus. He watched Walnut get off the bus, and she looked disappointed.

"Hey, everything alright?" He asked her gently.

She didn't speak, unzipping her backpack and giving him a note with her teacher's name on it.

"A meeting? Is it parent-teacher night already?"

"No," Walnut sighed, "they wanted to talk to you about how I'm doing in school."

Almond narrowed his eyes. "What's going on?"

Again, no response. That was never good.

\---

"Walnut is a very smart girl", the teacher told him that night, "which is why her behavior has been so concerning. She falls asleep in class, she's missing several homework assignments, and she hardly pays attention to the lessons."

Almond folded his arms and looked at Walnut. "Care to explain yourself, young lady?"

"How can I focus on something as simple as math homework? We have more pressing issues!" She cried.

"Oh for the love of-"

"Yes, she keeps talking about this 'Phantom Bleu' cookie over and over. Would you happen to know anything about that, Almond Cookie?"

"It's a case I've been working on," he explained, "Recently Walnut's taken an interest in detective work, so I've been telling her about some parts of my job. Sometimes I take her to work with me if it's a slow day. It keeps her out of trouble… or at least, it's  _ supposed _ to."

The teacher went quiet and looked down at their desk, straightening a pile of already straightened papers. "Walnut, could you do me a big favor and get some red pens from the supply closet on the third floor? I just realized we're all out. Ask the janitor, he should have the key."

Walnut ran out of the room, and Almond smiled a bit.

"Bad time to remember you're out of pens, huh?" He asked in a joking manner, but the teacher looked dead serious.

"Almond Cookie, I've called you here because I'm worried about the wellbeing of your daughter. When children have issues in school, it's often because they have problems at home. I understand that having separated parents can put a strain on young children, but I'm starting to think there's something else at play here."

Almond leaned back in his chair, somewhat offended. "What, you think I'm causing this?"

"I don't think you're causing it so much as enabling it. Exposing Walnut to your line of work could be what led her to this behavior." The teacher said firmly.

"Oh come on, it's not like I'm showing her crime scene photographs or blood samples or something. She's just being a kid." He rolled his eyes.

"And kids are very impressionable. It's good that you want to encourage your daughter's interests, but you have to draw a line between work and family. Otherwise, who knows what could happen? All I'm saying is that you have to be careful with what you share with her."

Almond's cell phone began to ring, surprising the two. Nobody would be calling him at a time like this unless it was important.

"Sorry, I gotta take this." He stepped out into the hall and picked up. "Hello?"

"Detective Almond, we need you at the museum as soon as possible. There's been a break-in."

Almond looked over at the stairwell near him, knowing Walnut was probably going to be back soon. He wouldn't be able to find a sitter on such short notice, and leaving her with the teacher certainly wouldn't help their impression of him. "I'm a little occupied at the moment, are you sure you need me right this second?"

"We need all the help we can get. We have reason to believe Phantom Bleu was responsible for this. Unless someone is dying, you need to get your ass down here  _ now _ !"

Well, so much for not "enabling" Walnut.

"I'm on my way."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens.
> 
> Chapter 3 Warnings
> 
> . Kidnapping (mentioned)  
> . Gun violence (mentioned)  
> . Assault (mentioned)  
> . Child death (mentioned)

Almond hadn't seen Walnut this excited since… well, since ever.

"I can't believe it! I finally get to be out in the field with you!"

"No you don't," Almond said, "You're gonna wait in the car and not mess with anything. If this wasn't such short notice, you wouldn't be here at all."

"I'm not a baby anymore, Dad!" Walnut shouted, kicking the back of the seat in front of her, "Why don't you trust me?"

"You've given me no reason to trust you! This case shouldn't be any of your concern. You have no idea how difficult this job is, and I hope you never do until you're old enough to understand it!"

The outside of the museum looked so different than it had that morning. There was caution tape everywhere, and it was crawling with detectives and police officers. Almond let out a deep sigh at that. He'd never liked working with the cops.

"Are you sure I'm gonna be safe in the car?" Walnut piped up, pressing her face to the window to get a better look at the museum.

As much as Almond hated to admit it, she may have had a point. Leaving her by herself in the middle of the night with a criminal on the loose may not have been in his best interests.

"... You stay in my sight at all times, alright? And don't touch anything."

"Yes!" Walnut cheered and pumped her fist in the air.

As they approached the caution tape, a police officer stopped them.

"State your name and business." He said in a gruff voice.

Almond took out his badge. "Detective Almond, private investigator. I was called down to inspect the break-in."

Police Cookie nodded his head to Walnut. "Who's the kid?"

"I'm his assistant!"

"She's my daughter."

Police Cookie shook his head. "Sorry sir, we can't let her through. It isn't safe."

"I'll be good, I promise!" Walnut begged, giving the officer her best puppy dog eyes.

"We can have her stay in one of the police cars with some of the other officers, but she can't be allowed inside."

"Sounds like a plan." Almond agreed. He patted Walnut on the head. "You be good, okay? Stay with the officers until I come get you."

"Fine." Walnut scowled and folded her arms, but followed two of the officers over to a parked police car.

As Almond entered the museum, he noticed another detective examining the wreckage of a table. He briefly remembered speaking with her a few times, and if memory served right her name was Oolong. When she saw Almond, she waved him over frantically.

"Ah, Detective Almond! You might wanna take a look at this."

"No shit." Almond whispered, looking over the smashed jewel cases. Carefully stepping around the broken glass, he came forward and pulled out a notepad. "Do we have any other clues?"

"Well there's no blood," Oolong said, "so it doesn't look like anybody was hurt. Whoever it was, they weren't looking for a fight. And take a look at this." She showed him a tape lifting, covered in pale hair. "Looks like some kind of animal fur."

Wait, didn't the cookie he'd talked to that morning mention someone with a cat?

"Well I'll be damned. I'll have to get back to one of the witnesses about that. Any other potential suspects, or are we certain it's Phantom Bleu who did this?"

  
  


Oolong looked into another shattered case, taking some notes of her own. "We're still on the lookout for more evidence before we can say for sure. Phantom Bleu always leaves a calling card, but we haven't found one just yet."

Almond walked around, making note of everything he saw. Aside from plenty of glass shards and overturned tables, the area seemed remarkably clean. Almost  _ too _ clean.

"I'm gonna go up to the sec-

  
  


The sound of shattering glass, followed by a startled scream, echoed throughout the hall. Almond and Oolong exchanged a terrified look.

"D-did that sound like a kid to you?" Oolong stammered.

Shit.

Shit shit shit.

Almond ran to the source of the scream, mentally kicking himself for not having his gun. All sorts of scenarios went through his mind and none of them were good, if that bastard touched one hair on his daughter's head-

"I've got you now, Phantom Bleu!"

Wait, what?

Walnut had managed to tackle a shocked cookie to the ground, surrounded by shards of glass from a broken display case. Acting on instinct, Almond picked her up off the floor, frantically checking her for injuries.

"What the hell were you thinking!?" He yelled, making Walnut flinch.

"Dad, it's Phantom Bleu! I swear!"

"Walnut, how many times do I have to tell you to stay out of this? You could have gotten hurt! What are you doing here?"

Walnut squirmed, trying to break out of his grip. "I snuck out of the car to investigate!"

"You snuck out!? Are you kidding me!?" He set her down on the floor, staring at her incredulously. "You are in so much trouble, young lady. Stay right here and apologize to this poor cookie. We're gonna have a long talk about all of this."

Walnut hung her head in shame, mumbling a quiet "I'm sorry…". Almond helped up the victim of her attack, a bespectacled blond wearing a museum staff uniform.

"I am so, so sorry about all of that. Are you injured? Do you need me to call someone?"

The cookie shook their head with a smile. "I should be alright. I think she knocked my cane out of reach though… ah, there it is." They picked up a black walking cane off the floor, "I work the night shift, and I was just taking care of some maintenance. She must have mistaken me for someone else and pushed me into the case. Kids can be quite a handful, can't they?"

Almond groaned. "You're telling me. She likes to play detective. She wants to be just like me. Usually I don't mind, but recently she's been doing stuff like this. I just don't want her to put anyone in real danger."

"Well, it's a good thing she has a responsible father like you looking out for her. She may not like it now, but she'll be thanking you in the future, Detective Almond. Take good care of her."

Almond turned to leave, taking Walnut by the hand and taking her with him. "I will, you have a good night."

Almond led Walnut back to the museum entrance as quickly as possible, only to be stopped once again by Police Cookie.

"Woah, slow down! Everything okay here?" He asked.

Almond glared, pointing to Walnut. "Take a wild fucking guess! I thought your officers were watching her!"

"They were!"

"Clearly not well enough! She managed to get in and attacked one of the museum employees!" Almond shouted.

"A museum employee?" Oolong walked over to the group, "What are you talking about? This area is restricted, there shouldn't be anybody here that's not a detective or an officer."

"Dad, have you met that cookie before?" Walnut asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh? The employee? No, I don't think I have."

"Then how'd they know your name?"

The realization hit Almond like a ton of bricks.

"Don't let her out of your sight." He told Police Cookie and Oolong, and he bolted back down the hall faster than he ever had in his life.

But much to his dismay, the room was completely empty. The cookie was gone without a trace. And amongst the broken glass on the floor was yet another envelope sealed with turquoise wax.

Son of a bitch.

He grabbed the calling card, walking back to report his findings.

"Well, that clears up one mystery."

Walnut saw the envelope, and her eyes lit up like stars. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yep, it's classified information." Almond held the letter out of reach as he opened it, "You've pushed your luck enough for one night." He read the letter to himself.

_ You're getting warmer, and so is she. Quite a sharp intellect she has. You'd best keep a close eye on her. Detective work is no place for a child. If she keeps this up, my thievery will soon be the least of your worries. Normally I'd suggest you quit while you're ahead. Surely no treasure is worth the wellbeing of your little girl. But between you and I, I'm rather enjoying this cat and mouse game. Allow me to at least give you a sporting chance. Perhaps what I've enclosed here could point you in the right direction. That is, if you don't crack under the pressure first. _

_ Warm regards, _

_ Phantom Bleu _

Almond carefully felt around inside the envelope, finding a piece of glass speckled with blood inside. It was even already in a plastic evidence bag.

"Now they're just mocking me." He growled to himself. He passed the plastic bag to Oolong. "Get that down to evidence as soon as possible, I'll hold onto the letter. It may be connected to another one that I received."

Oolong put a hand on his shoulder. "Detective Almond, maybe you should go home and rest. It's been a long day. We'll take it from here, and the detectives can go over the evidence tomorrow morning."

"I'm siding with her on this one. We'll call things off for tonight, and you'll be able to come back here tomorrow." Police Cookie glanced back at Walnut, who was still trying to grab the letter from Almond. "Do us all a favor and come alone next time."

"I will."

As he entered the car, he noticed Walnut shivering a little, looking afraid.

"Am I grounded?" She asked, her voice small and meek.

"Yes. I told you not to mess with this case, and you didn't listen." Almond made sure she was buckled in, putting the calling card away before she could make another grab at it.

Walnut refused to look him in the eye. "I only wanted to help…"

Almond got into the driver's seat, closing the door with a loud  _ bang _ . "Help!? You could have gotten yourself hurt, or even kidnapped! This is an adult's job, honey. I can't have you getting in the way."

"But it really did turn out to be Phantom Bleu!"

Almond felt anger and worry bubble up inside of him, and he gripped the steering wheel tightly. "I don't care who it was! You don't know what they're capable of. They could have had a weapon. They could have taken you hostage! This isn't a game, Walnut, it could be a matter of life and death! Do you have any idea what I've been through? I've had some lunatic put a loaded gun to my head and threaten to blow my brains out! I've watched other detectives get the shit beaten out of them! I've seen kids even younger than you murdered! It's enough to drive someone insane! And I'm a grown adult who's been doing this for twenty years, not a child who has no idea what the fuck she's doing!"

Almond stopped his rant as he heard Walnut begin to cry, first a soft sniffle but quickly turning into full-on sobs. The anger gave way to regret, making his heart drop into his stomach. This wasn't about him, not really, and he'd said too much. He breathed in slowly and counted to ten under his breath, regaining his composure before he spoke again.

"I'm sorry, Walnut. I know that talking about this sort of thing is scary. But that's the hard truth about my job: It's not always an easy one. Most of the time, it's boring at best and terrifying at worst. But I'm an adult. I can accept that risk and handle things myself. You're just a kid. A brilliant, brave kid, but still a kid."

"I didn't mean to put anyone in danger…" she whimpered.

"I know you didn't mean to, but the best way for you to help is to stay at home and let me handle this. I'm not doing this to be mean, I'm doing it because I love you, and what's even more important to me than solving this case is keeping you safe."

The rest of the car ride was silent, and soon Almond pulled up to the apartment building.

"Now, you're going right to bed. I better not see you reading under the covers again, or I'm taking your flashlight. Do I make myself clear?" He asked.

Walnut nodded silently.

"Good."

Once he was sure Walnut was asleep, Almond settled down at his desk and shuffled through his evidence. The two calling cards matched up; same envelope, same handwriting, even the same stationary. Finally, he felt like he was getting somewhere.

  
  


As much as it frustrated him, he knew he had to keep going. It was no longer just his safety on the line.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almond Cookie be like [Has debilitating nightmares abt his kid being in danger] [Chugs coffee] [Says acab][Interrogates twinks who feed cats whole hot dogs]
> 
> Chapter 4 Warnings:
> 
> . Child death (in the form of a nightmare)  
> . Vomiting  
> . Stalking (mentioned)  
> . Gun violence (implied)

_"Sir, please step back behind the tape."_

_"Please, my daughter's in there! You gotta let me through!"_

_Almond struggled to push through the officers holding him back, trying to find something, anything, that proved Walnut was okay._

_He only managed to get a few steps forward before he was pushed back again, but what he saw made him sick._

_A broken magnifying glass held in a small hand. A child's backpack soaked in blood. A swarm of EMTs shouting over one another, one of them breaking away and approaching Almond with a grim look on his face._

_"I'm sorry, sir. She's gone. There was nothing we could do."_

_He should have kept a better eye on her. He should have stopped her. He should have never gotten her involved in all of this, it was all his fault, he could have prevented this he could have saved her he could have-_

Almond woke up, gasping for air like he'd been drowning. His eyes darted around the room, getting used to the darkness. The glowing red numbers of his clock read 3:31 am.

It was just a nightmare. A terrifying, gut-wrenching nightmare about his greatest fear becoming a reality, but just a nightmare.

It didn't stop him from running to the bathroom and retching into the toilet though.

He picked himself up off the cold tiles, wincing at the throbbing pain in his head. After getting a drink of water, he went to Walnut's room and opened the door as quietly as he could.

She was perfectly fine, sound asleep in her bed just as she'd been that night. Her teddy bear was cuddled close to her. She looked so peaceful like this, like nothing else in the world mattered.

If only it were that easy.

Almond kissed her forehead, watching over her for a few more seconds before leaving the room.

As much as he would have loved to go back to bed himself, he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again. He wasn't sure he wanted to.

He found himself walking back to his desk, barely conscious, as if he were on autopilot. Getting work done in this state would probably be impossible, but he had to do _something_.

Looking over the evidence again didn't give him much information he didn't already know. He kept going back to the calling cards over and over. He'd probably read them dozens, if not hundreds of times. Just what sort of game was Phantom Bleu playing here? Why even leave a card at all? It was like they were _trying_ to get caught, yet they still slipped through Almond's fingers.

_Ring!_

Almond jolted out of a dreamless sleep he didn't even know he was in, cursing under his breath. He squinted out the window closest to him, noticing it was much lighter outside.

_Ring ring!_

He picked up his phone, trying to shake off the last remaining bits of drowsiness.

"Detective Almond Cookie speaking." He said, putting on the best "totally wide awake" voice he could manage.

"Almond, no need for formalities. It's just me, Latte!"

"Latte?" He allowed a bit of that tiredness to slip into his tone again, "Why are you calling at a time like this?"

She giggled. "If by 'a time like this' you mean 'ten am on a Saturday', it's because I wanted to know if I should come by to watch Walnut or if you're dropping her off at my place."

Right. The memory was coming back to Almond now. He'd called Latte late last night, asking her to keep an eye on Walnut. "Uh, yeah, if you could come over that'd be great. I can let you in."

"Is everything okay?" Latte asked, her concern clear in her voice, "You sound exhausted."

"No no, I'm fine. Work's just been kicking my ass lately." He assured her. It technically wasn't a lie.

"Oh… Well, I'll let you know when I get to the apartment building." It sounded like she had more to say, but was keeping it to herself.

"Alright. Thanks again, Latte."

"Not a problem!"

He hung up and turned around in his chair to get up. He noticed Walnut standing in the hallway, already fully dressed and eating an apple.

"Oh, hey, look who's up early." He grinned.

"Did you fall asleep at your desk again?" She looked at the mess of papers on the desk.

"Yeah, that's what I get for trying to do some last-minute research. Hang on just a second, I'm gonna go get dressed."

As he got up, he noticed the guilty look on her face, and the way her eyes started to water.

"Did you have that dream again?"

He stopped.

"I… how do you know about that?"

"I saw the notebook you keep near your bed," she explained, "the one you use to keep track of your dreams and stuff. Whenever you have that dream, you go to your desk and sleep there. Or you sleep outside my room."

Damn. Maybe the kid was a better detective than he thought.

"This is all my fault." Walnut whimpered, her voice starting to crack.

"No, sweetheart, c'mere."

Almond hugged her tightly, allowing her to cry into his shirt while he rubbed her back with one hand.

"Shhh, it's okay," he whispered, "It's not your fault. I just get worried sometimes, is all. It's not because of anything you did. I'm your Dad, it's my job to be worried about you no matter what."

"But if I hadn't messed everything up-"

"Then I would have gotten worried about something else," He told her gently, "These things happen. I'm just glad you're safe."

They stayed like that for a while, until finally Walnut had stopped crying. She pulled away, still wiping her eyes, and looked up at Almond.

"I won't get in the way anymore, I promise." She said with a nervous smile.

"I dunno, you also promised you'd be good yesterday…"

"Well I _super_ promise this time! That's at least a hundred times stronger than a regular promise! I should know, I did the math."

Almond snickered, giving Walnut one last hug. "Well, I can't argue with math. I'm holding you to that, though. Alright, I really need to go get dressed now, I don't want Latte to know how much of a mess I am."

When Latte arrived, Almond breathed a mental (and probably physical) sigh of relief. She was a bit of an airhead sometimes, but if there was one thing she knew it was handling kids.

"So, the emergency numbers are on the fridge, there's soup in the cabinets if you two get hungry, and make sure she gets at least four pages of homework done. Oh, and don't let her near my desk." He instructed.

Latte nodded. "Understood. By the way, this is for you."

She handed him a warm thermos. He didn't even need to open it to know what it was.

"You didn't have to bring me coffee." He tried to hand it back, but Latte pushed his hand away.

"Almond," she said, "you look and sound half dead. Take the coffee."

"... Okay, I'll see you two tonight."

Almond made a beeline for Oolong the minute he got into work, surprising her a bit.

"Detective Almond! You're… looking well."

He laughed bitterly, taking another sip of coffee. "No need to play nice around me Oolong, I know I look like shit. Let's cut to the chase."

"Erm, noted." she tried to hide a smile as she set out a few evidence bags on the table. "You have the calling cards?"

He put his thermos away and took out the cards.

"Perfect. They were definitely written by the same cookie but… something's off."

"Off? What do you mean?" Almond carefully lifted up one of the calling cards Oolong had to get a better look. "They look the same to me. Look, same handwriting and everything. I doubt we have a copycat on our hands."

"Oh, yeah, I'm not saying that Phantom Bleu didn't write these. it's not really about the handwriting on the card. It's more about the contents. Notice anything about what's written on them?"

Now that she mentioned it, he did. The cards in the evidence bags all seemed… generic, in a way. Not like the ones he'd received, which were definitely targeted at him.

"What I'm trying to figure out," Oolong explained, "Is how they always know you're gonna be the one to get the calling card. The one when they were disguised as the babysitter, maybe, but why the one at the museum? Any one of us could have picked it up. And what's more, how do they know all this stuff about you and your daughter?"

"I've been wondering the same thing. It's a little creepy, actually." Almond shuddered. How _was_ Phantom Bleu getting all this information? Was he being stalked? Was there a mole in the agency? Were they just getting lucky guesses this whole time? 

"I'm starting to think they have it out for you specifically. Or maybe even your kid."

That idea made Almond uncomfortable, in more ways than one. "Look Oolong, I'm not defending Phantom Bleu by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it's a bit far to accuse them of being creepy with kids."

Oolong's face flushed, and she rapidly shook her head. "What!? Oh, no no no! That's not what I was implying at all! I just meant it as like… a power play, y'know? They know they can't shake you by any usual means, so instead they decided to hit closer to home by bringing your daughter into it. Something they know you're protective about."

"You might be onto something there. But why me in particular? Plenty of detectives have been on this case. What makes me special?" He looked down at his hands, as if he would find an answer if he stared at them long enough.

Oolong began putting the calling cards back in the evidence bags. "If you think about it, you're probably the detective who's stayed on this case the longest. Most of them gave up after a few weeks and passed it along to someone else. That may threaten them in some way, so they wanna see how long it takes to break you and make you give up like the rest. It's like a game to them."

Almond was genuinely impressed by the assessment. "How do you know so much about this stuff? And at half my age, no less?"

"Oh believe me, I'm no expert. My girlfriend's a therapist, I picked up a lot of that stuff from her."

"Sheesh, I may have to get an appointment with her sometime… Did we find out anything about the blood sample?"

"It doesn't match anybody we have on record." Oolong shrugged her shoulders, "Makes sense, if you think about it. Nobody's ever caught them."

"Ah, there you two are."

The two detectives turned to see Police Cookie.

"Good morning, officer. Any updates on your end?" Almond tried his best to be cordial, but he couldn't help but feel a bit of disdain for the man after the incident last night.

"Yeah, that's actually what I came to talk to you about…" Police Cookie sighed, taking off his cap to scratch at his buzzed hair. "Look, there's no easy way to say this so I'll just be blunt. I think it's in the agency's best interest to turn the Phantom Bleu case over to the police."

"What!? But we've been working on this for months! We're finally getting somewhere!" Almond gestured to the evidence on the table. "We can't turn back now!"

"I get it, really, I do. And your work has been invaluable. But we went to search the museum again, and we found these."

He took out a plastic bag, and Almond's eyes widened when he saw the contents.

Bullets.

_Bloodied_ bullets.

"So much for not looking for a fight." Oolong murmured.

"I'll send these to evidence to see if we can trace it, but after that it's out of your hands and into ours. This is no longer just a theft case; it could be something much more dangerous." He looked pointedly at Almond. "And some of you have more to lose than others."

He walked away, and Almond rolled his eyes.

"What a dick."

"Detective, what a thing to say!" Oolong gasped.

"What? You think I'm gonna take that meathead's orders lying down? I'm not, and neither should you. We've gotten too far to just give up now!"

"I'm not happy about it either," she argued, "but we really don't need to be getting on the bad side of the police at a time like this."

"Well, I'm not gonna drop everything just because one cop said so!"

"I didn't say we had to drop everything," Oolong looked around, then leaned in closer and smirked, "I just said we can't get on the bad side of the police. Do you get what I'm saying?"

It took Almond a second, but once he understood he returned her smile.

"Huh. Never took you for the underhanded type, Oolong. But I'll watch your back if you watch mine. I'll keep finding whatever I can to help the case."

"And I'll go down to evidence and see what the story is with those bullets." She held out her hand. "We got a deal?"

He shook her hand. "Deal. Now, let's see if we can't glean anything else from this evidence before Officer Jackass gets back."

Night was just beginning to fall once they finished up. Oolong stood up and stretched with a quiet groan.

"Ugh, I'm beat. I could go for a drink. You wanna come along, Detective?"

Almond looked at his watch. "Yeah, I got time to kill before I have to be back. The babysitter hasn't called me so I assume the apartment is still in one piece."

The bar they went to was a bit more upscale than he was used to, but Oolong insisted that the drinks were worth every penny.

"The usual bartender is really cute too." She added with a wink.

"I don't need your help finding dates."

"Yes you do, old man."

He nudged her in the side, but it was good-natured. "Quit it."

They sat at the bar, gaining the attention of a charming blond bartender.

"What can I get you two?" He asked, notepad at the ready.

Almond was surprised by how polished the guy looked. The way he was dressed seemed more appropriate for a lavish party rather than just serving drinks. There wasn't a thing out of place.

Until he saw the cookie's pants, covered in pale strands of fur.

"Didn't have time to wash your pants before work?"

The bartender looked startled by that, but nodded. "Oh, yeah, I was pet sitting last night. The cat sheds on everything."

"The same cat that ate a whole hotdog?" Almond blurted out, much to the confusion of Oolong and the bartender.

"Oh come on, that was one time!"

Almond and Oolong exchanged a knowing glance. Almond got up slowly, pulling out his badge.

"Sir, you wouldn't mind speaking with me in private for a moment, would you? Bring that notepad, I think you're gonna need it."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Local hardboiled detective investigates a surprisingly scary twink bartender. What happens next will shock you.
> 
> Chapter 5 Warnings:
> 
> . Attempted drugging (mentioned)  
> . Kinda nonconsensual flirting??? Sorta??? It's done by accident and makes sense in context  
> . Sudden restraint/somebody being grabbed by surprise (Not in that way, minds out of the gutter people.)

For what it was worth, Sparkling Cookie was probably one of the most cooperative suspects Almond had ever interrogated.

"Alright, the handwriting doesn't match up, so that's ruled out. Still doesn't explain the cat."

Sparkling laughed, though it was pretty clearly out of nerves. "Look, I was just told to keep an eye on the cat for a few hours then take them back to my place. They didn't tell me anything else. I was in and out by 2 pm, and if you don't believe me I have employees who can vouch for me."

"So Phantom Bleu just trusts any random citizen with their pet, then?" Almond asked, unable to stop the suspicion that creeped into his voice.

Sparkling looked insulted, the easygoing smile on his face finally falling. "What are you implying, Detective? It's not like I'm their partner in crime or anything. I didn't even know there was a break-in until you told me, much less have anything to do with it."

"Woah, woah, I never said you were partners in crime." Almond leaned across the table between them, "But you do seem to have a connection, and I wanna find out what it is. Now, we can do this the easy way, where I ask you questions and you answer them as best you can. Or we can do this the hard way, where I drag your ass out of here in handcuffs and interrogate you down at the agency. What's it gonna be, pretty boy?"

There was a brief silence between them, the only sound being the muffled conversations at the bar and the clinking of glass. Almond could practically see Sparkling weighing the options in his mind, nervously twisting a bar rag in his hands.

"... Right, so. They're a regular at my bar." Upon seeing Almond's expression, Sparkling shook his head. "Don't bother searching the patrons, if they were here I'd know. We hit it off pretty quickly. They're a charmer, good at getting cookies to like them. They kept a lot to themselves though. Even what little I know about them is more than they've shared with others. And, for the sake of honesty… yes, I've looked the other way once or twice when they've done something."

Almond was shocked. "You know I could take you in just for saying that, right?"

Sparkling held his hands up defensively. "Wait, I'm not talking about big things here! I'm talking about like, punching a guy before he could drug someone's drink. I've never covered up anything major, and I can promise you that everything I'm saying right now is the truth." He looked serious as he said it. If he was lying, he was pretty damn good at it.

  
  


"Well, it's very reassuring to know that they draw the line somewhere." Almond quipped sarcastically.

  
  


"What? Yeah, they're not a  _ monster _ . They have their limits." Sparkling sighed, "Jeez, the way some people talk about them you'd think they were out there skinning puppies."

"Do you know if they own a gun? We found bullets at the crime scene."

"I wouldn't know anything about that. They never mentioned owning one, but then again I guess they never mentioned  _ not _ owning one either." Sparkling frowned. "I mean, if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say no. And even if they did, I doubt they'd fire off a shot if this were just a break-in, not unless they absolutely had to. If there's one thing I know, it's that they play fair."

_ Now _ they were getting somewhere.

"They play fair, huh? Elaborate on that." Almond took out his own notepad and pen.

"Like I said, they do have standards. They'd never hurt a child, for starters." Sparkling gestured to one of the calling cards, "So chances are they're not planning to torture your kid or something."

"Uh, 'Not torturing children' isn't exactly a high bar, you know." Almond said flatly, "I've quite literally talked to murderers who wouldn't do that."

Sparkling was starting to look fed up. "Detective, if all you're going to do is make some smart-ass comment every time I give you information, we can end this discussion right here."

"Sorry. Continue."

Sparkling breathed deeply. "The calling cards. That's another thing they do. They're not an idiot, if they wanted to be in and out of a scene without a trace they could do it. It's almost like… they not only  _ expect _ cookies to try and track them down, it's almost like they  _ encourage _ it. They gave you a piece of evidence, for crying out loud!"

"Yes, but  _ why _ ? Why go through all that spectacle?" Almond pressed.

"If I knew, I'd tell you."

Sensing this was as good an answer as he was gonna get, Almond backed off a little. "Any idea why they'd be targeting me in particular? Did they ever mention anything about it to you?"

Sparkling shrugged his shoulders. "Nope. Like I said, they really don't tell me much. Did you do something to piss them off?"

"Besides existing? Probably not. I've even helped them a few times. I mean, I didn't know who I was helping, but I still helped them."

Sparkling snickered, cracking a sly grin. "You ever think maybe they've got a crush on you, Detective?"

"They've sure got a funny way of showing it. Look, I'm not in the mood for jokes, so if we're done here-"

"Wait, no, hold on. Hear me out." Sparkling stopped him. "Okay, so maybe it's not a crush. But it seems like they have some kind of positive feelings towards you. They keep joking around with you in the calling cards, they're not just being polite. And they want you to keep pursuing the case. I can't think of any criminal who would want someone to keep tracking them down."

"Wait, how many criminals do you know?" Almond was starting to get a little freaked out by this guy.

"Eh, two or three, probably. I don't really give a shit as long as they pay their tab and don't start fights." Sparkling stood up from the table. "Anyway, that's really all I can say. I hope it helped. If you don't have any more questions, I'll be returning to my post."

"Thank you, Sparkling Cookie. You've actually been incredibly helpful." Almond put his notes away. Just as he was walking away, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Oh! one last thing, Detective!"

He turned back to Sparkling. "Yeah?"

Without warning, Sparkling pulled him forward by his tie, their faces uncomfortably close.

"Don't you ever fucking call me a pretty boy again. I don't know you like that. Do I make myself clear?" He whispered, that sweet smile never leaving his face.

After a second of confusion at the sudden mood whiplash, Almond nodded. "Y-yeah, crystal clear."

"Good." He let go, giving Almond a wink before walking away. "Take care, detective."

Almond went back to Oolong, who was now sipping a strawberry daiquiri.

"Find out anything useful?" She asked when she saw him.

"Yeah, a lot more than I was expecting. We might have to keep an eye on this guy, he could be useful. Just uh… don't call him a pretty boy. Learned that one the hard way."

"See? You  _ do _ need my help getting dates!" Oolong giggled.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. You need a ride home?" Almond nodded to the door, but Oolong held up a hand

"Nah, I might stay behind to finish this drink, but if you've gotta get home feel free." She showed him her phone. "I called a cab anyway."

"Okay. Have a good night, Oolong."

Almond walked back to his car, a bit tired but feeling accomplished. Maybe he'd finally get a good night's sleep for once.

He didn't get very far before he felt a firm, gloved hand clamp over his mouth, and he was yanked back roughly.

"Just couldn't help yourself, huh?" An unfamiliar voice hissed into his ear.

Almond could only grunt in response, trying to twist his way out of his captor's grip. They held him tighter, their fingertips digging into his skin hard enough to hurt.

"Should have listened to that cop. He's a fucking moron, but at least he has some common sense. That's more than I can say for you, Detective. I'll let you off with a warning this time, but do us both a favor: Drop the case while you still can. You have no clue what you're up against."

Who the fuck  _ was _ this cookie?

"But if you insist on keeping this up, be my guest. I'm sure the orphanage will take good care of your little girl." They suddenly released their grip, but when Almond turned to confront them he found himself staring only at a dirty brick wall and an empty alleyway littered with trash.

" _ Fuck! _ " He screamed to nobody in particular. Not wanting to take any more risks, he ran to his car, only allowing himself to relax when he'd locked the door.

As he drove off, he remembered what Police Cookie had told him that morning. The words repeated in his mind like a broken record.

_ Some of you have more to lose than others. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why the hell was THIS chapter the one that gave me the most difficulty? Who knows. I had this halfway done yesterday when I realized that I didn't like it at all. I'm happy with how this turned out though. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Chapter 6 Warnings
> 
> . More detailed description of an injury??? Idk it may be a little squicky  
> . Gun violence (mentioned)  
> . Kidnapping/missing person

Almond's hands shook as he unlocked his door. Part of him realized it was stupid; his apartment was probably one of the safest places he or Walnut could be. But after the day he'd had, he was ready to assume the worst.

Luckily, it seemed Walnut and Latte were just fine. Walnut was curled up on the couch in her pajamas and reading a book, while Latte was dozing off next to her. The two watched Almond enter, and Walnut immediately tossed her book aside and ran to greet him.

"Dad, you're home!" She threw her arms around him, making him stumble back with a soft "oof".

"Yeah kiddo, I'm home. What are you doing up so late? It's almost one in the morning."

"She didn't want to go to sleep until you came home." Latte told him, "even getting her to put on her pajamas was a struggle."

Yep, that sounded like her. "Alright, well, you should get some sleep. C'mon, in your room."

"Five more minutes?" Walnut yawned. The poor kid was practically falling asleep just standing there.

Almond picked her up. "You're getting too big for me to carry you, y'know."

"No I'm not…"

She was out like a light as soon as Almond tucked her into bed. He went to sit on the couch with Latte, and practically collapsed.

"Rough day?" She asked.

"You don't know half of it. Thanks for watching Walnut."

Latte went to get her jacket. "It was my pleasure! You have a good night, Almond. I can walk myself home."

"No!" Almond found himself shouting on impulse, making Latte stop in her tracks.

"Huh?"

"Just…" he wasn't sure how to explain it without saying too much, "... You can stay the night. I don't mind. I'd rather you do that then go out on your own at a time like this."

"Something happened to you earlier." It wasn't even a question. She said it as a statement, so matter-of-fact that Almond didn't even bother to try denying it.

"I got jumped while I was walking back to my car. Some cookie grabbed me and started threatening me. Said that if I didn't drop the case, Walnut would end up in an orphanage." He pulled up his sleeve, showing her the red marks where he'd been grabbed.

Latte gasped. "What? Why didn't you call me or something? Do you have any idea who it could have been?"

"No, they ran off before I could see them."

"You don't think it was that criminal you've been trying to catch, do you?" Latte whispered nervously.

The thought hadn't occurred to him. It was a strange thought. After all, Phantom Bleu wanted him to keep pursuing the case, while this cookie clearly didn't. It couldn't have been them… unless this was another mind game of theirs. But Sparkling had mentioned that they weren't prone to violence, so why not just send another calling card? But what if Sparkling was lying to him? But what if-

"Latte, am I finally going insane?"

She drew a blank. "I… what?"

"Am. I. Going. Insane?" He repeated slowly, "Because it sure as hell feels like it."

Latte took her jacket off, joining Almond on the couch once more. "I think you're stressed. You usually take Sundays off, right? Maybe you should stay home, spend some time with Walnut. Just get your mind off the case for a while.

"You know I can't do that."

"Almond, you're gonna run yourself into the ground!" Latte held his shoulders, making him look her in the eye. "How can you focus on this case when you're like this? And what about Walnut, is this really what you want to teach her? That it's okay to ignore your health for the sake of work? You know how much she looks up to you."

He didn't have to answer her. They both knew what he was going to say.

"Look," she continued, "I know how much your job means to you. I get it. But you need to take some time for yourself or else this whole mess is going to eat you alive. At least try to get some peace and quiet tomorrow, okay?"

"... I'll try." Almond murmured, trying his best to give her a comforting smile.

Latte smiled back. "That's what I like to hear."

\---

"Dad, can I have coffee too?"

Almond looked up from the coffee pot. "Nope, this is for grown-ups only."

"I can be a grown-up!" Walnut argued, taking a particularly aggressive bite of her pancakes.

"So you're not too big for me to carry you, but you're big enough to drink coffee? Those numbers don't add up."

"Latte lets me drink coffee." Walnut grumbled, staring out the window at the pouring rain.

Almond finally joined Walnut at the kitchen table, with a mug of coffee for himself and a glass of milk for her. "Well I'm gonna yell at Latte the next time I see her, and you're still not getting coffee." He glanced at Walnut's backpack in the corner of the room. "Hey, remember to get more homework done today, alright? If you keep at it, you should be all caught up by Tuesday."

"Okay… Dad?"

"Yeah?"

Walnut fidgeted a bit, looking somewhat guilty. "So… you know how I super promised that I'd forget about the Phantom Bleu case?"

Of course.

"Walnut, c'mon." Almond said. He was disappointed, but not surprised.

"I didn't do anything bad, I swear! I was just taking notes, that's all." She rushed to her backpack, unzipping it and pulling out a battered notebook with "CASE NOTES" scrawled across the front. "Maybe these can help?"

Almond shook his head, finding the whole ordeal equal parts endearing and ridiculous. "Uh, sure, lemme take a look. Maybe you found something an entire team of professionals overlooked."

The notes were, as Almond expected, not of much use. What wasn't information he already knew was almost indecipherable (Walnut was never exactly known for her neat handwriting) or completely inconsequential (Why did the color of the museum carpet matter?). He flipped through the pages, just to humor her, until he came across something that made him nearly choke on his coffee.

_ Bleeding leg? _

"Walnut, what's this about?" He pointed to the note.

"Oh! I didn't tell you? When I saw Phantom Bleu, it looked like their leg was bleeding a lot."

"Well, you  _ did _ push them into a glass case." Almond noted.

"No, this was before I pushed them. And it was bleeding a lot! It looked like they had something wrapped around it under their pants." She explained.

Almond tried to make sense of this. His mind drifted back to the cane Phantom Bleu had been using, and those bullets Police Cookie had gotten from the crime scene. Could it have been…

"Well, thanks for letting me take a look at these. Just don't get into any trouble."

Walnut gave him a salute, beaming proudly. "Yes sir!"

"Alright, detective talk is over for today." He went to her backpack and pulled out a folder. "Now let's solve the mystery of long division."

"Dad, that's my English folder." Walnut giggled, putting her dirty dish in the sink.

"... Good eye, Detective Walnut."

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. The rain didn't let up, but Almond was perfectly content to help Walnut with her homework, then relax on the couch and watch some TV with her.

_ Ring ring! _

"Ugh, on my day off? Really?" Almond answered the phone, lowering the TV volume and making a quick "be quiet" gesture to Walnut. "Detective Almond Cookie speaking."

"Uh, detective?" A quiet, nervous voice answered.

"Oolong? Is everything alright?" This sort of timidness was very unlike Oolong. She was usually very reserved and easygoing, and rarely ever panicked even in the face of danger.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine. Listen, I… I got a call from evidence about those bullets." She stammered.

"Really? That's great news!" Almond smiled, "I actually got a bit more information that might help us too-"

"Look, I'd rather discuss this face to face. Can you meet me at the museum in about half an hour?" Oolong interrupted him, sounding as though she was in a hurry.

"Uh, sure? Why can't we just meet at the agency though?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Walnut take the remote and start flicking through channels.

"Well, we're technically not supposed to be working on this case anymore, y'know? Plus, you never know who could be listening… I have to go, someone needs to meet with me. Just meet me at the museum, okay? Thirty minutes, don't forget."

"I won't, thank y-"

Oolong hung up abruptly, puzzling Almond even further. He hoped everything was alright…

"Dad, that's the lady you work with!" Walnut shouted.

"Yeah, I was just on the phone with her."

"No, no! On the TV! Look!"

Almond turned his attention back to the TV. A news broadcast was playing, and what he saw made his stomach drop.

A missing cookie report flashed across the screen, with photographs of Oolong and Sparkling.

"... Walnut, get your coat and shoes on. We're taking a trip."


End file.
